Foodware system having visual-stimulating, sensing, and wireless-communication components, and method of using with a plurality of dining plates

Abstract

An active foodware system includes a visual-stimulating component for displaying information related to a plurality of sensing components, such as load cells, sensing weight of food on respective dining surfaces of supporting dining plates. A mechanical structure supports and positions the dining plates in a constrained relationship to each other, and cavities in the mechanical structure may unattachedly mate with the dining plates. A wireless communication component wirelessly sends weight data to the visual-stimulating component, such as a mobile phone or tablet computer. The system is configured to determine calories of the food, and the system may include a camera for sensing the food or a diner. The visual-stimulating component may display information other than information provided by a scale, and auditory and haptic stimuli may also be provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An active foodware system comprising:
 a dining plate supporting a dining surface, said dining surface being recessed in relation to a region surrounding said dining surface, said dining surface recessed for receiving solid food and preventing spillage from said dining surface; 
 a sensing component for electrically sensing a characteristic of said food on said dining surface, wherein said sensed characteristic of said food includes a weight of said food on said dining surface; and 
 a mechanical structure for supporting and positioning said dining plate; 
 wherein said mechanical structure is configured for unattachedly mating with said dining plate, and wherein said sensing component is attached to said mechanical structure. 
 
     
     
       2. The active foodware system according to  claim 1 , further comprising, in a functional relationship to said mechanical structure, a stimulating component configured to, when said sensing component senses said weight of said food on said dining surface, cause a related visual, auditory, or haptic stimulation to be presented. 
     
     
       3. The active foodware system according to  claim 1 , wherein said dining plate is removable from said mechanical structure, and wherein said mechanical structure comprises a recessed portion configured to receive, and unattachedly mate with, said dining plate. 
     
     
       4. The active foodware system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a wireless communication component for wirelessly communicating said weight. 
     
     
       5. The active foodware system according to  claim 1 , further configured to determine calories of said food. 
     
     
       6. The active foodware system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a wireless controller for wirelessly controlling said active foodware system. 
     
     
       7. The active foodware system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a first data processor for communicating with a data processing component, wherein a tablet computer or mobile telephone includes said data processing component. 
     
     
       8. The active foodware system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a camera for sensing said food or a diner. 
     
     
       9. The active foodware system according to  claim 1 , wherein a width of said dining plate is greater than a height of said dining plate. 
     
     
       10. The active foodware system according to  claim 1 , wherein said dining plate is configured for supporting and positioning a plurality of food dishes relative to each other for sensing, and wherein each food dish is for being sensed by a separate respective said sensing component for electrically sensing a characteristic of food on a respective dining surface of said each food dish. 
     
     
       11. The active foodware system according to  claim 10 , wherein each said separate respective said sensing component comprises a separate load cell for sensing weight of said food on said each respective dining surface of said each food dish. 
     
     
       12. An active foodware system comprising:
 a plurality of dining plates, each dining plate supporting a dining surface, each dining surface being recessed in relation to a region surrounding said dining surface, said dining surfaces recessed for receiving solid food and preventing spillage from said dining surfaces; 
 a plurality of sensing components, wherein each sensing component is for electrically sensing characteristics of foods on respective dining surfaces, wherein said sensed characteristics of said foods include weights of said foods on said respective dining surfaces; 
 a mechanical structure for supporting and positioning said dining plates for dining; and 
 a visual stimulating component configured to, when said sensing components sense said weight of said food on said dining surfaces, cause a related visual stimulation to be presented and provide information other than information provided by a scale. 
 
     
     
       13. The active foodware system according to  claim 12 , wherein said dining plates are removable from said mechanical structure, and wherein said mechanical structure provides a plurality of cavities which are configured to receive, and unattachedly mate with, a respective dining plate. 
     
     
       14. The active foodware system according to  claim 12 , wherein each of said sensing components comprises a separate load cell for sensing said weights. 
     
     
       15. The active foodware system according to  claim 12 , further configured to determine calories of said foods. 
     
     
       16. The active foodware system according to  claim 12 , further comprising a wireless controller for wirelessly controlling said active foodware system. 
     
     
       17. The active foodware system according to  claim 12 , further comprising a first data processor for communicating with a data processing component, wherein a tablet computer or mobile telephone includes said data processing component. 
     
     
       18. The active foodware system according to  claim 12 , further comprising a camera for sensing said foods or a diner. 
     
     
       19. An active foodware system comprising:
 a plurality of dining plates, each dining plate supporting a dining surface, each dining surface being recessed in relation to a region surrounding said dining surface, said dining surfaces recessed for receiving solid food and preventing spillage from said dining surfaces; 
 a plurality of sensing components, wherein each sensing component is for electrically sensing characteristics of foods on respective dining surfaces, wherein said sensed characteristics of said foods include weights of said foods on said respective dining surfaces; 
 a mechanical structure for supporting and positioning said dining plates for dining; and 
 a wireless communication component for wirelessly communicating. 
 
     
     
       20. The active foodware system according to  claim 19 , wherein said wireless communication component is for wirelessly sending said weights to a stimulating component for providing related visual, auditory, or haptic stimulation. 
     
     
       21. A method employing:
 a plurality of dining plates, each dining plate supporting a dining surface, each dining surface being recessed in relation to a region surrounding said dining surface, said dining surfaces recessed for receiving solid food and preventing spillage from said dining surfaces; 
 a plurality of sensing components; a mechanical structure for supporting and positioning said dining plates; and a visual stimulating component; 
 said method comprising the steps of: 
 at least two sensing components of said plurality of sensing components electrically sensing characteristics of foods on respective dining surfaces, said characteristics of said foods including weights of said foods on said respective dining surfaces, said electrically sensing providing sensed data; 
 said visual stimulating component presenting a visual stimulation related to said sensed data and providing information other than information provided by a scale. 
 
     
     
       22. The method according to  claim 21 , further employing a data processing component, and further employing computer memory external to said active foodware system, said method further comprising the steps of:
 transferring data from said computer memory to said data processing component; 
 said data processing component processing said data from said computer memory with said sensed data to provide processed data; and 
 displaying, playing, or operating said processed data. 
 
     
     
       23. The method according to  claim 21 , further comprising the step of:
 said mechanical structure supporting and positioning at least two dining plates of said plurality of dining plates in a constrained relationship to each other for dining. 
 
     
     
       24. The method according to  claim 23 , further comprising the step of:
 side walls of said at least two dining plates guiding said at least two dining plates to unattached mating positions in respective cavities in said mechanical structure.